 | Poems and Translations |  |
10
THE EAST INDIAN GIRL.
(ILLUSTRATION OF A PICTURE.)
Adown the dark'ning forest glades
There fell the sun with slanting beam,
Right through the leafy, long arcades,
All gladdening with dazzling gleam.
There fell the sun with slanting beam,
Right through the leafy, long arcades,
All gladdening with dazzling gleam.
And swift athwart the deepest shade
There came one golden ray of sun,
But just to kiss a lovely maid
Who sat upon a mossy stone.
There came one golden ray of sun,
But just to kiss a lovely maid
Who sat upon a mossy stone.
Adown it came, that golden thread,
And sported in her jetty hair;
Then deeped her mantle's glowing red,
Then touched her cheek, and lingered there.
And sported in her jetty hair;
Then deeped her mantle's glowing red,
Then touched her cheek, and lingered there.
All low the pensive eye was cast,
Half-hidden by the silken fringe;
And where that dark'ning shadow past
There was a softer, lovelier tinge.
Half-hidden by the silken fringe;
And where that dark'ning shadow past
There was a softer, lovelier tinge.
The ruby lip appeared as though
'T were jealous of the cheek's rich hue,
But gave it yet a fresher glow,
And burned with added beauty too.
'T were jealous of the cheek's rich hue,
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And burned with added beauty too.
Around the snowy neck was strung
A dazzling row of fairest pearls,
That sought in vain, from where they hung,
To ripple in among the curls.
A dazzling row of fairest pearls,
That sought in vain, from where they hung,
To ripple in among the curls.
Of purest white a garment thin
But half-concealed the form so light,
And girdled was by zone of green,
With flashing jewels studded bright.
But half-concealed the form so light,
And girdled was by zone of green,
With flashing jewels studded bright.
Her head was resting on the tree,
That bent o'er her its grateful shade,
Reclining 'gainst it listlessly,
There sat and dreamed the pensive maid.
That bent o'er her its grateful shade,
Reclining 'gainst it listlessly,
There sat and dreamed the pensive maid.
Long, long she 'd waited—all in vain,
Upon that green and mossy stone,
Through sunny calm and beating rain,
Each morning and each eve alone,
Upon that green and mossy stone,
Through sunny calm and beating rain,
Each morning and each eve alone,
Till when the heat of day was strong,
Or night's black shadows rose and fell—
For one who swore to love her long,
And guard her tenderly and well.
Or night's black shadows rose and fell—
For one who swore to love her long,
And guard her tenderly and well.
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And morn and even to that stone
Thus faithfully she went for years,
Till every bright-winged hope had flown,
And frozen were the welling tears.
Thus faithfully she went for years,
Till every bright-winged hope had flown,
And frozen were the welling tears.
But he she waited ne'er was known,
And ne'er her fervent love repaid;
So, underneath the mossy stone
They laid the broken-hearted maid.
And ne'er her fervent love repaid;
So, underneath the mossy stone
They laid the broken-hearted maid.
January 3d, 1864.
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